Join us for the launch of FORMAT20 Off Year

FORMAT is delighted to announce the FORMAT OFF International Portfolio Review at QUAD in Derby on 25th April 2020.

More than 30 international photography and art experts will offer advice, constructive feedback and networking opportunities and the review day will conclude with an awards event and dinner. Among the reviewers – photo editors, festival directors, curators and publishers from over 10 different countries – is Azu Nwagbogu, Founder/Director of LagosPhoto Festival and African Arts Foundation who joins FORMAT for the first time.

If you need tips on how to approach the Reviews then take a look at FORMAT Director – Louise Fedotov-Clements recommendations on Lensculture where she reveals how persistence can pay off.

To find who is on the list of reviewers and to book your review slots click the link.

FORMAT20 Off Year is focused on Africa with some exciting exhibitions, talks, workshops, film screenings and residencies from artists working across the continent.

Showing at QUAD, the exhibition The New Vernacular is curated by Azu Nwagbogu from the Africa Artists Foundation/Lagos Photo Festival in Nigeria. Nwagbogu brings together five artists Adji Djeye (Italy/Senegal); Bonolo Kavula (South Africa), Mary Sibande (South Africa); Ruth Ossai (Nigeria) and Talia Ramkilawan (South Africa), each of whom seeks to discover a sense of self in our rapidly transforming world.

Using a mixture of visual media, sound and the written word they question their received cultural and social histories creating a new art based narrative; breaking with the old ideological taboos and mixing up the stories of the past with their own contemporary attitudes.

At QUAD Gallery: April 25th - 28th June

Also exhibiting at QUAD in the Extra Gallery Spaces is the Here, There & Everywhere: Artists in Residence programme supported by HTE.

Three artists, Anthony Bila, (South Africa) Sipho Gongxeka (South Africa) and Uzoma Orji (Nigeria) have been selected from the FORMAT & Lagos Photo Festival Open Call. During their six week residency they will produce new work, using film, photography and interactive media, which will be exhibited in the QUAD Extra Gallery Spaces from the April 25th - 28th June.